Do you have space on your retail shelves for more small appliances?
Versuni believes you should make room for its variety of new small appliances.
Who or what is Versuni? You’re forgiven if the name is unfamiliar. Versuni is not a consumer-facing brand but a product portfolio company, a house of brands sort of like Procter & Gamble, featuring primarily Philips-branded small appliances as well as small appliances from brands including Gaggia, Saeco, Preethi, Philips Wality, L’Or, and Senseo.
The Netherlands-based Versuni is a “cutaway” from Royal Philips, what used to be Philips Domestic Appliances, explains the company’s North American CEO David Farmer. The company was originally formed in September 2021 and the Versuni brand was adopted in February 2023.
Versuni has been selling Philips-branded products such as Philips Airfryer, Espresso Machine with LatteGo, PerfectCare Steam Generator, and AquaTrio cordless vacuums in Europe, and the company claims it is the top seller in several small appliance categories such as garment care. Farmer says that Versuni products under its varying brands can today be found in 50 million homes, a number he hopes to double by 2027 with expansion to U.S. retail.
Why Versuni?
So what advantages does Versuni’s portfolio of products bring to crowded U.S. store shelves for both retailers and consumers?
“It’s not surprising to realize how many retail[ers] are saying consumers are a little bit fatigued with buying things that are of a brand they’re not familiar with,” Farmer explains, “and they’re looking for something that is familiar. We have within our portfolio brands such as Phillips [which is] already known as a reliable brand, they’re known as something that’s trusted.”
Farmer, who previously led North American marketing and commercial teams for Bose, Hewlett Packard, and AT&T Wireless and therefore understands the U.S. retail market, also knows that retail support is necessary to support Versuni’s domestic market entry.
“Retailer shelves are precious, and what they put on those shelves – they’re looking for turns, they’re looking for momentum, and what needs to be there needs to matter,” Farmer observes. “We come to the table with a whole litany of everything that’s required, starting with what drives consumer demand into the store.”
Versuni marketing support includes a full advertising suite along with a field marketing team “that’s in stores twice a week, ensuring that the display we have in stores is fully ready to be talked to, is fully ready to work for consumers,” Farmer assures. “You’re not only going to have the retail sales support trained and ready and informed, but you’ve got to be ready for the consumers with demonstrations.”
North American Versuni Products
First into the U.S. market from Versuni are a group of good-better-best Philips-branded semi-auto and automatic coffee and espresso machines:
- Barista Brew Semi Auto Coffee Maker: single bean (PSA3218/01, $649.99) and dual bean (PSA3228/41, $699.99)
- Full Auto Espresso Machines: 3300 Series – Primary (EP3347/90) and “Hero”, (EP3341/50, both $799.99); 4400 Series (EP4444/90, EP4447/90, both $999.99); 5500 series (EP5544/90, $1,099.99)
- Baristina: White (BAR300/00) or black (BAR300/60, both $399.99); milk frother in white (BAR311/00) and black (BAR311/60, both $89.99)
Available via the Versuni D2C website (us.home-appliances.philips/pages/baristina) will be portafilters in seven colors and wood finishes ($24.99 or $39.99, respectively).
Just hitting stores now are the 2000-series Philips AirFryers, with 1000- and 3000-series models soon to follow. Other products and brands from the Versuni portfolio will be rolled out in the coming months.
“We’re pacing and positioning each of those brands so that it makes sense for the retailer and their trade story,” Farmer notes, “and it makes sense for the consumer.”
